1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mail processing system wherein address information is read from the mail and, sorting information is generated according to the read address information. The mail is then sorted by the sorting information more specifically, the invention relates to a mail processing system wherein an operator inputs a mail address, which has not been read, while viewing the entire image of the mail displayed by a video coding terminal, and the mail is thus sorted by the sorting information corresponding to the input address.
2. Description of the Related Art
A video coding system (VCS) serving as both a mail processing apparatus and a video coding terminal has recently been developed. In this type of system, information is read from the mail by an optical character reading device, and the mail is sorted by postal code number, delivery zone, etc. in accordance with sorting information corresponding to the read information.
When the address information of the mail cannot be read, the total image of the mail is displayed on a display section of the video coding terminal. An operator views the display section and inputs the address information (coding processing) thereby to sort the mail by the sorting information corresponding to the address information. The limitation of mechanical sorting by the optical character reading device can thus be compensated.
In the foregoing prior art video coding system, an operator inputs address information using a keyboard or the like while viewing images of the mails which are displayed in order of supply. When addresses are written illegibly, uniquely, or are complicated and difficult to decipher (printing or handwriting, vertical writing or horizontal writing, new address or old address, etc.), an operator's input operation is less efficient and the likelihood error increases.